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Crystal River Fishing

CrystalRiverBackCountry

Red Drum (redfish)

Family Sciaenidae, DRUMS
Sciaenops ocellatus

Inshore near grass beds, oyster bars, docks and pilings; deeper channels during warmest and coolest months. Use live shrimp or pinfish fished on bottom or free-lined, or soft bodied jigs bounced slowly along the bottom.

LIMITS: 18" MINIMUM 27" MAXIMUM OVERALL, ONE PER PERSON PER DAY

Snook

Family Centropomidae, SNOOKS
Centropomus undecimalis

(Seasonal) Inshore in coastal and brackish waters, along mangrove shorelines, seawalls, bridges, on reefs and pilings. Artificial bait or live pinfish and grunts. Prefer anything that moves on top of the water. Lies motionless in the shadows.

LIMITS: 28" MINIMUM 34" MAXIMUM OVERALL, ONE PER PERSON PER DAY

Spotted Sea Trout

Family Sciaenidae, DRUMS
Cynoscion nebulosus

Inshore and near-shore over grass, sand and mud bottoms. Deeper waters during the warmest and coolest months. Use live shrimp or baitfish fished near bottom by free lining or under a popping cork, or soft-bodied jigs or surface plugs cast while drifting.

LIMITS: 15" MINIMUM OVERALL, 5 PER PERSON PER DAY, INCLUDING ONE OVER 20"

Cobia (ling)

Family Rachycentridae, COBIA
Rachycentron canadum

Both inshore and near-shore around pilings, buoys, and wrecks; along beaches during spring and early summer. Use trolling or casting lures, jigs or live pinfish.

LIMITS: 33" MINIMUM TO FORK OF TAIL, ONE PER PERSON PER DAY

Gray Snapper (mangrove snapper)

Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS
Lutjanus griseus

Description: color dark brown or gray with reddish or orange spots in rows along the sides; dark horizontal band from snout through eye (young only); two conspicuous canine teeth at front of upper jaw; dorsal fins have dark or reddish borders; no dark spot on side underneath dorsal fin.

Jack Crevalle

Family Carangidae, JACKS and POMPANOS
Caranx hippos

Common in both inshore waters and the open sea. This fish is a veracious feeder and will hit almost anything, including all types of artificial and live bait.

NO LIMITS

Spanish Mackerel

Family Scombridae, MACKERELS and TUNAS
Scomberomorous maculatus

Inshore, near-shore and off-shore, especially over grass beds and reefs; absent from north Florida waters in winter. Free-lining live shrimp or cut bait. Or casting silver spoons or jigs worked in a fast motion.

LIMITS: 12" MINIMUM TO FORK OF TAIL, 15 PER PERSON PER DAY

King Mackerel

Family Scombridae, MACKERELS and TUNAS
Scomberomorous cavalla

Description: color of back iridescent bluish green; sides silvery, streamlined body with tapered head; no black pigment on front of dorsal fin; lateral line starts high and drops sharply below the second dorsal fin; young fish often have yellow spots like those of the Spanish mackerel.

Gag Grouper

Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER
Mycteroperca microlepis

Description: brownish gray in color with dark worm-like markings on sides; strong serrated spur at bottom margin of preopercle, less noticeable in large specimens; fins dark, with anal and caudal having white margin. Often confused with black grouper; tail of gag is slightly concave, black is square; gag has white margin on anal and caudal fins, black does not; under 10 pounds, gag's spur on preopercle is distinctive, where black is gently rounded.

5 per person per day 22" min.

Gulf Flounder

Family Bothidae, LEFTEYE FLOUNDERS
Paralichthys albigutta

Inshore on sandy or mud bottoms, often ranging into tidal creeks; occasionally caught on near-shore rocky reefs. Working jigs or live bait near the bottom.

LIMITS: 12" MINIMUM OVERALL, TEN PER PERSON PER DAY.

Sheephead

Family Sparidae, PORGIES
Archosargus probatocephalus

Inshore species around oyster bars, seawalls and in tidal creeks; moves near-shore in late winter and early spring for spawning, gathering over debris, artificial reefs and around navigation markers. Use shrimp, fiddler crabs or pieces of fresh blue crab fished on the bottom.

LIMITS: 12" MINIMUM TO FORK OF TAIL 10 PER PERSON